Marry Me
by Haruhiryu
Summary: It wasn't that he didn't like her, he did, he just didn't LIKE her. As well, he already had someone, a special someone, which he told her. Even so, when the Shepherd's tactician sets her sights on something (or someone), she will do anything to get what she wants.


**A/N:**

 **Dear readers,**

 **Good morning/afternoon/evening! I'm sorry for such a huge delay...I only recently got my computer back from my friend who was fixing it for me. As you can guess, no comp means no writing; as well, no comp means no posting. Until I catch up, or have no more stories to post (no stock), I will post two stories a night.**

 **Here is the belated 7/20's update, an one-shot. The belated 7/21 update will be tomorrow; still tbd.**

 **I may...in the FAR future, do a sequel revolving around the second gen, but that's still far from now.**

 **I hope you enjoy today's reading. Comments appreciated!**

 **I do not own or have the rights to Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the characters.**

* * *

"Marry me."

He stared blankly at her for a few seconds. "Pardon?"

"Marry me." …So, he didn't mishear.

"Are you jesting?"

"I wouldn't joke about something like this." Her face was straight, serious, maybe slightly blushing, but there was no hint of dishonesty.

"May I ask what brought this on?"

"Well, we've been spending a bit of time together, and I kind of liked you since we first met, so…" It was true, they had been in each other's company quite a bit recently, but to jump from helping him overcome his weakness of eating bear meat, or any gamey product in general, to a proposal?

"I'm sorry, I already have someone that I care for."

"Oh? …I see." Her face became downtrodden, as if he stepped on a puppy; like most people, he did not like stepping on puppies.

"It's not as if there aren't other fish in the sea, Robin. Anyway, we can still be friends, right?"

"Y-yes, of course." She nodded, giving a forced smile. "I hope she treats you right. …Excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of before going to bed."

"Of course." With that, she unceremoniously left the mess tent. Well, not that he could blame her… That "proposal," if you could call it that, blind-sided him. No doubt, the girl was now dealing with her own feelings. However, he was surprised, Robin never showed much interest in love for men or women. She was the type to hop from person to person, like dandelion fluff floating in the breeze or a jellyfish going where the waves take it; but, these people were only friends, nothing more.

Well, at least she was partially right, his love did treat him well, but it was a he, not a she.

ooo

"Marry me."

"Again, Robin? You already know my answer." The war with Gangrel ended six months ago, and while normality was slowly returning to Ylisse, there was still much to be done in the country, especially when Risen were popping up at random. In general, he and Robin wouldn't be sent out to deal with them, being they had their own political duties to deal with, but with every other Shepherd busy, either being sent out to deal with another Risen troubles (there were five other unrelated reports), taking care of more important needs (currently Cordelia and Sumia were heading the Pegasus Knights, while others, like Maribelle, had various other duties, such as keeping Chrom in check in the court), or they had disappeared, it fell on them. Chrom, even if he wanted to go (which he did), was Ylisse's recently crowned head of state, so he couldn't leave Ylisstol, and Olivia, Chrom's new wife, also had her own duties keeping her at the palace. With that, here they were, preparing to set out, saddling their horses.

"Yes, but Chrom's married. It's not like you can't now either."

"Milord's case is different. The Exalted line needs a heir. Anyway, it's not like we broke up."

"So, their family is going to be a performance for the sake of Ylisse?"

The knight arched his eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you and Chrom, and Maribelle and Olivia."

"What?" He turned suddenly, stopping the preparations, bringing him face-to-face with Robin. "Do not talk like that about Maribelle and Queen Olivia! …Where did you even get such notions?"

"Oh?" A look of surprise crossed her face. "…I thought you would have known, being that you're always so attentive. I'm guessing Chrom doesn't know either?

"However, to answer your question on how I know; do you remember how I caught you and Chrom after a war council."

"...Yes." The brunet nodded, face slightly red. Everyone knew Chrom could be rash, so like usual, as soon as the platinum was out of the tent, things got a little…heated. However, a minute following, she came running back into the tent, saying she forgot something, thus catching them in an intimate moment. Gods how embarrassing that was! Of course, after the fact, he had wondered if Robin already knew and only wanted to prove her assumption, after all, she returned for a tome, and she would never be so forgetful as to leave a book unattended; she wasn't Vaike after all.

"…Well, let's just say I caught the two of them quite close together in the women's bath. This was on the way back to Ylisse, after defeating Gangrel. …Embarrassingly, I really only wanted to take a bath that time…"

"…Are you implying you purposefully caught milord and myself in the strategy tent."

"You already knew that though, didn't you?" She cocked her head, still with her poker face.

"I won't deny that I assumed, but I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Ah, well, so now you know." The tactician shrugged. "Anyway, let's get married. If Chrom and Olivia can marry, why can't you? I don't mind if you continue your relations with him, and I know Chrom's given you permission, if you so wished."

"How do you-?"

"I asked Chrom."

The knight tsked, obviously disgruntled, turning to continue their preparations, for Robin still couldn't saddle a horse well. "I am loyal to milord. And let's say, even if I wanted to marry, which I don't, you would be far from the top of the list." A bit harsh, but he needed the girl to stop yearning for him. "Anyway, I'm certain you can easily find yourself a husband; you're popular enough with most of the Shepherds."

She gave a shrug. "I've never been known to go the easy route."

"…Stubborn aren't you?"

Another shrug. "Always have been."

"My answer remains no."

"I don't mind waiting. You'll break eventually."

ooo

Screams could be heard around the castle. Even though everyone wished to help the queen, not much could be done to stay the pains of childbirth. Frederick truly wished to be at Chrom's side, but since they would probably become a little too touchy, and both wished to keep their relationship secret, he was sitting outside on a bench in the castle grounds, while the father-to-be was pacing outside the birthing room. Of course, as it usually was nowadays, he wasn't alone.

"Don't you want kids, Freddy-bear?"

"I suppose I had thoughts of it when I was younger, but when committing to Chr…milord, I gave up the notion." Even though this wasn't his child, he was feeling his partner's anxiety, almost using the cobalt's given name, which he only did in private with said beau.

"…Well…if you married me, I could bear your children." She gave her sweetest puppy dog eyes.

"...You're still on that?"

"Of course."

"No is no, Robin."

"Noes can become maybes, and maybes yeses."

"Possibly, yes, but with me, a no is a no." She shrugged, just as another scream echoed. "…What makes you even want children? Especially hearing Queen Olivia's pain."

She pondered the question for a moment. "I have no explanation; I just do. It feels…right. Like a biological need or something."

"Well, if you wish for children, get together with a man, and there you go. Simple as that."

"That wouldn't work. If there's no romance, what's the point?"

"Romance?" He arched an eyebrow. "Why would that even matter if you only want children?"

"What makes you think I would have sex with someone who I don't have interest in? I might want a child, but I'm not going to have relations with any man out there!"

He stared at her for a bit, startled. He had never seen her so impassioned over romance before. Of course, it might also be related to the fact that he over-stepped that invisible threshold, asking why she cared about romance. …Romance and sex were usually linked in young women's minds. "Then what do you want from a man?"

"…Besides some sort of chemistry, we also need to have romantic interest, and I have to deem them father material."

"Chemistry and romantic interest? Aren't those the same?"

"Chemistry and romance are different. I'm sure you understand romance, but chemistry, that can be with anyone. Like you and Lissa. You two have chemistry, an understanding, but there's nothing romantic, more like a kinship. That same can be said about me and Chrom; there's no romantic interest, but we have a certain synchronicity that can't be explained."

The brunet hummed. "So, you see all three requirements in me?"

"Obviously…" Finally he gotten her to blush, albeit slightly. It was a strangely nice shade on her pale skin. "We definitely have the chemistry, I, at the very least, have a romantic interest in you, and I think you'd make a doting father."

"If that's the case, why do you keep asking for me to marry you? Why not just ask me to bed you?"

Nice reaction; the platinum's face turned an extreme crimson. "Even if I did, you would turn me down. That's not your personality; you're honorable, you wouldn't even allow the situation to get to that point. I'm certain there are other tactics I could use, but I don't want to use force, I want a consensual relationship."

"You are right on that part." He replied with a cool smile.

ooo

"Marry me." Chrom looked up from the map, staring dumbfounded at his tactician, then his knight; both said people still had their eyes glued to the paper before them.

"No, Robin. Now, what if we move these units here, and move the fliers there."

Her face pouted, but she responded easily enough to the man's question. It took a little while, but Chrom acclimated himself to the situation, before rejoining the conversation. After a bit of time passed, Robin stood.

"I'll be back in five. I think I have a solution, but I have to check a tome in my luggage."

"I'm surprised you came so ill-prepared."

"I didn't think the book would be useful, being it's for tactics in the mountain and forest terrains, but I think there was a passage that could help in this situation. I'll be right back." At the tent flap she turned. "Don't do anything, you hear?" With that, the two men could hear her quickened pace, running to her own tent.

After a few seconds of verbal silence, being that the knight was still moving pieces about the map, Chrom turned to his knight. "...ummm...Frederick, what was that about?"

"What was what about?" The brunet looked up from the map, toying with one of the miniature soldiers that Robin had hand carved.

"That proposal."

"Oh, she's been doing it daily since Lucina was born. I'm surprised she had the audacity to ask with you in the room though." The man's eyes return to the map, moving a few figures forward, then returning them with a shake of the head.

"She's been proposing to you daily? This is news to me."

"I did not think it relevant. I told you about the first few attempts, but I thought anything after would be extraneous information."

"…Why don't you marry her? I wouldn't be angry if you did. I know you've received proposals from a few women over the years, but none to this extent. I think you would be good together."

"Chrom," He looked straight at his lord. "I am committed to you, and that is more than enough for me. If Robin wishes to continue this game, I'll begrudgingly keep playing, until she finally decides to stop."

"Do you really think she's joking? I think you know her better than that." The brunet shrugged in response, his eyes still focused on the map. "She won't stop until she claims victory. I think you should prepare for the inevitable, Frederick."

"I quite dislike defeat myself, Chrom."

"I'm not saying this out of jealousy or worry, because I do give you my full blessing when you finally accept your fate, but if you really didn't want her attention, I'm certain there are other ways you would play this game to get your feelings across."

ooo

"So, this is where you've been hiding. Reading in the dark like this will lead to you needing glasses." Frederick stepped into the tent, an fairly unused weapons hold, mainly for the archer's supplies. Robin remained seated on a crate, eyes still on the pages in front of her, most of her body turned away from him. "Milord and the others have been wondering where you were all day. Have you been hiding here this whole time?" He waited for a response, lighting a candle to bring in some light; after all, it was already night, so opening the tent flap would be of no use. "So, you finally decided to end your proposal game? If so, I'm truly relieved." He smiled, finally being able to see her in the light.

"Yah…" He started towards her; something didn't seem right. Where was that spry attitude that she always had? "You know," He still couldn't see her face, but her voice sounded emotionless. "You were right, way back then…"

"Pardon?"

"Letting a wolf into your herd of sheep…"

"Robin, what's plaguing you?"

"I should leave." She ignored his question. "…The Shepherds deserve better than a wolf leading the herd. You deserve better. It's no wonder I don't even rank in your list of spouse candidates."

"Hey, look at me." He had placed the light down, and was now standing before the platinum. Her face remained lowered, yet he was certain there were tear stains on the page before her. "Robin." Still nothing. Finally, he took her chin, forcing her to look up. He tried to be gentle, but a whimper still escaped her lips. There were no tears currently, but it was obvious that she had been crying. Even with her face up, she wouldn't look him in the eyes. "What's wrong. Explain it in a way I can understand, not in metaphors." He had an idea of why she was in this state, but he needed the precise reason, not the nonsensical mess she was saying. He dropped her chin, sitting next to her. She scooted away, putting as much distance between them, and he let her for the time being.

"I-I can't remain as the Shepherd's tactician."

"Why?"

"You know very well why!"

"If I don't hear it from your own mouth, I can't be certain."

"I'm a Plegian! I don't deserve the right to guide this army!"

"It's not like there aren't other Plegians in the Shepherds, Robin. Look at Tharja and Henry. What's one sane Plegian compared to those two?"

"This and that are different."

"In what way?"

"They're not in my position."

"Robin, just because you're a Plegian, that doesn't mean anyone thinks less of you. I know I had my doubts when we first met, but time and time again, you proved me wrong. You're a good person, a good friend. No one here cares about your origins. The Shepherds need you. I doubt we would have gotten this far without your prowess and exuberance for your work." He had closed the distance between them, his hand on her shoulder, while the other took the tear stained book, putting it to the side. "Anyway, the amount of dedication you have for the Shepherds is obvious, Robin. If you didn't care, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now." Fresh tears start dripping, and with his handkerchief, he gently wiped them away, letting her get out all her emotions out. When the tears and sniffles stop, he smiles. "Better." She nods. "Good. Are you hungry? Have you eaten anything today?" She shakes her head, leading him to stand. "Dinner's over, but-"

Her hand gently grabs his belt, making him turn. "...Marry me."

"Now, now, Robin. I might be comforting you, but let's not get ahead of ourselves." The brunet replied with a smirk.

ooo

"Don't! Die!" Rain pelted them, making vision difficult. Even looking a few feet ahead had to be done by squinting.

"Marry… Me."

"This is no time for japes, Robin!" He wiped some of the droplets out of his eyes, hoping that Lissa was still where they last saw her.

"I'm not-" The platinum bites back a whimper as Frederick's mount jumped over a corpse. "-Joking." The knight looked frantically around, but obviously the healer was gone. Where were any of the healers? "Marry me… Frederick."

"What good would that do?" The brunet made a harsh jerk to his left, seeing the shine of a healing spell thanks to someone on a very familiar white steed.

"It'll give me a reason… To keep living… I still… We still… Don't have any… Kids…" She gave a soft smile, even though breathing was becoming difficult.

"Whether we become engaged or not, I will not let you die, Robin!" He could tell the Troubadour's horse was going to some other poor soul, finished with the previous healing, but the one currently in his lap had priority, of that he was sure! "MARIBELLE!" The blonde turned, taking a few seconds before realizing the situation. When she did, she started galloping towards them, as he was to her.

"Just… Marry me… Frederick… You wouldn't be… this frantic… If you didn't… Care…"

"Shush, don't waste your energy." Having removed his gloves earlier, he put a finger to her lips. She was cold; blood loss, hypothermia, this was not looking good…

"Frederick…" He looked at her. Although she was battered and bloody, there was a strength in her eyes, something he knew, without even looking at himself, that he was missing at the moment. "I love you…" She gave a soft, tired smile, returning his gaze.

He knew for a while that he carried true, real feelings for the girl. Still, due to his own beliefs, his own thoughts that she deserved better than a man who was totally devoted; soul, body, and mind; to his king. Now though, he knew that barrier had crumbled, especially after seeing her in this state, knowing now that he would do anything in his power to protect this being. "…If you do not die… You will have your husband."

"Kiss… Seal it with… A kiss…" He felt his face flush, and he knew Maribelle was already in their presence, but…

…Their first kiss was salty; her blood, his tears…

ooo

"Jealous are we?"

"Of course not, milord. I do want a divorce though."

"You two aren't even married, though."

"Ah, well, lucky me…"

They had become affianced only but two weeks ago, and already Robin was wooing another man, clinging to him, with that constant glow of a smile. Frederick wouldn't deny that the boy was a strapping young lad, but that didn't mean he didn't want to kill that son of a griffon!

"All kidding aside, Frederick. You know Robin wouldn't betray you."

"I know this, but it's hard to deny what is right before us."

The cobalt hummed, cocking his head, giving him a wink. "Maybe she wants a second lover, after all, you have one."

"…Maybe, but I doubt it. That's not like her at all." The two in question were starting to make their move towards them, or more like, Robin was dragging the boy over.

"Well, I don't think it's romance. She likes the hard catch; look at how long she waited to hook you?"

"Still, the way she looks at him… What else could it be?"

"Chrom! Frederick!" As she finally reached them, Robin's face was aglow; a big stupid smile broad across her face. Instinctively, she took Frederick's hand, even though he did his best to avoid it. Yet, even though she had him, she was still clinging to the boy. The said brunet had a slight blush on his face, a nervous smile. He had looked at Chrom briefly, but his eyes remained mainly on the knight. "Chrom, this is Morgan! Morgan, Chrom. Chrom's the leader of the Shepherds, ruler of Ylisse, and by best friend!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Chrom." Before the cobalt could offer his hand, the boy already bowed, or at least did so to the best of his abilities with Robin clinging to him as she was. His voice was youthful, but one could tell it could go deeper if he wanted.

"Anything, Morgan?"

"I'm sorry, no."

"Is something the matter?" Chrom looked at the youth. Why did he seem so…familiar?

The platinum chuckled slightly. "He has amnesia; he doesn't remember anything, except his name and me."

"You?" Frederick knew he was openly glaring, but the boy seemed to be taking everything in stride.

"Frederick, why are you angry?" Her lips turned into a frown, returning an irritated look.

"Why shouldn't I-!"

"You didn't explain anything." Before Frederick could finish his sentence, the youth jumped in.

"Explain what?"

"Ah!" That dopey smile returned for a second before a nervous blush took over. "Frederick, Morgan is my son… Our son, from the future."

The knight froze for a second, staring at the boy. Now that she mentioned it, Robin and the boy could pass off as siblings, but Morgan had his hair color…

…A…son? Their child… He was certain he himself had a dopey smile on his own face when he embraced the boy.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Frederick's a griffon! ...oh wait... or is Robin the Griffon?...oh well...**


End file.
